Euripides, The Phoenician Women, ed. Gilbert Murray, 784

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Χορός

ὦ πολύμοχθος Ἄρης, τί ποθʼ αἵματι

καὶ θανάτῳ κατέχῃ Βρομίου παράμουσος ἑορταῖς;
785

οὐκ ἐπὶ καλλιχόροις στεφάνοισι νεάνιδος ὥρας

βόστρυχον ἀμπετάσας λωτοῦ κατὰ πνεύματα μέλπῃ

μοῦσαν, ἐν ᾇ χάριτες χοροποιοί,

ἀλλὰ σὺν ὁπλοφόροις στρατὸν Ἀργείων ἐπιπνεύσας

αἵματι Θήβας
790

κῶμον ἀναυλότατον προχορεύεις.

οὐδʼ ὑπὸ θυρσομανεῖ νεβρίδων μέτα δίνᾳ,

ἅρμασι καὶ ψαλίων τετραβάμοσι μωνυχοπώλων

ἱππείαις ἐπὶ χεύμασι βαίνων

Ἰσμηνοῖο θοάζεις, Ἀργείοις ἐπιπνεύσας

Σπαρτῶν γένναν,
795

ἀσπιδοφέρμονα θίασον ἐνόπλιον,

ἀντίπαλον κατὰ λάινα τείχεα

χαλκῷ κοσμήσας.

ἦ δεινά τις Ἔρις θεός, ἃ τάδε

μήσατο πήματα γᾶς βασιλεῦσιν,

Λαβδακίδαις πολυμόχθοις.
800

The Phoenician Women. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Φοίνισσαι (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978))

Translations (3)

The Phoenician Maidens Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 784 focus

Chorus

O Ares, god of much suffering! Why, why are you possessed by a love of blood and

death, out of harmony with the festivals of Bromius? Not for young girls crowned in the lovely dance do you toss your curls, singing to the flute’s breath a song to charm the dancers’ feet; no, with warriors clad in armor you inspire the Argive army with a lust
785

for Theban blood, leading your revels that are held without music. Nor do you rush with wild waving of the thyrsus, clad in fawnskin, but with chariots and horses you go to the waters of Ismenus, inspiring the Argives
790

with hatred for the Spartans, arraying in bronze armor against these stone-built walls a band of warriors and their shields.
795

Truly Strife is a goddess to fear, who devised these troubles for the princes of this land,

for the much-suffering sons of Labdacus.
800

The Phoenician Virgins (OCR draft) Experimental (The Phoenician Virgins. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

No corresponding passage available

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1841; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 1, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1841. Harvard OCR compared with an independent BSB copy. Native Donner verse citations, Murray reference cards, explicitly located notes and page facsimiles. Unresolved OCR, verse divisions, unlocated notes and printed errata are documented in the source review.) — 784 focus

Ares, du Schöpfer des Leids,

Was stürmst du nach Blut, nach Wunden und Tod, stimmst nicht zu des Bromios Festen?

Nicht mit den lieblichen Kränzen der blühenden Jugend umwindest

Du dein Haupt, noch singest ein Lied zu dem Hauche der Flöte,
775

Das die erfreuenden schufen, die Chariten.¹

Wider des Kadmos Geschlecht die gewaffneten Schaaren entflammend,

Führst du, gesanglos nahend, die blutigen Reigen von Argos.

Nicht mit dem Thyrsos schwärmst du, gehüllt in die Felle der Hindinn;

Sondern an Wagen und Zaum das Gespann einhufiger
780

: Rosse

Schirrend, hinab zu dem Strom des Ismenos

Stürmest du stolz mit den Rennern, und treibst die Ge-

Auf Thebe's Geschlecht,

schwader von Argos

Und an die steinernen Mauern herauf wogt

Tobend der feindliche Chor der Gewappneten.
785

Fürchterlich, traun, ist Eris, die Göttliche,

Die solch Leiden verhängte den Königen,

Labdakos' vielduldenden Enkeln!

Gegenstrophe.

Euripides The Phoenician Women 784

ed. Gilbert Murray

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